System of Government · Congress

Transcript

1. Ana

   Today is System of Government, part one. Congress. How laws get written, and who represents you.

2. Michael

   Questions sixteen through thirty-five. Three branches. Senate and House. A few questions depend on where you live. We will tell you what those questions want. We will not say a name for those.

3. Ana

   Last time we said why there are three branches. Can we name them now?

4. Michael

   Yes. Legislative, executive, and judicial. Or say Congress, the president, and the courts.

5. Ana

   Congress, the president, and the courts.

6. Michael

   Memory trick: three branches equal Congress, president, courts.

7. Ana

   The president is in charge of which branch?

8. Michael

   The executive branch. Executive means carry out. The president carries out the laws.

9. Ana

   President equals executive.

10. Michael

    Who writes the laws?

11. Ana

    Congress?

12. Michael

    Yes. Congress. They also accept the legislature, or the legislative branch. Simplest: Congress writes laws.

13. Ana

    And Congress has two parts.

14. Michael

    The Senate and the House of Representatives. Memory trick: Congress equals Senate and House.

15. Ana

    Name one power of Congress.

16. Michael

    Writes laws. Declares war. Makes the federal budget. You only need one. On this show: writes laws.

17. Ana

    Writes laws.

18. Michael

    How many U.S. senators are there?

19. Ana

    One hundred?

20. Michael

    One hundred. Two from each state. Fifty states, two each, one hundred.

21. Ana

    One hundred senators. Two per state.

22. Michael

    A senator's term is six years. Memory trick: Senate equals one hundred people, six years.

23. Ana

    They also ask who is one of your state's U.S. senators now.

24. Michael

    That answer is yours. You have to name a senator from your state. We cannot say a name here, because it depends on where you live. If you live in D.C. or a U.S. territory, you say you have no U.S. senators.

25. Ana

    So I need my state's senator ready. Not a name from this episode.

26. Michael

    Right. Know that answer. Then keep going.

27. Ana

    How many voting members in the House?

28. Michael

    Four hundred thirty-five.

29. Ana

    Four hundred thirty-five.

30. Michael

    A House term is two years. Shorter than a senator. Why? To more closely follow public opinion. They go back to voters faster.

31. Ana

    House equals four hundred thirty-five people, two years, closer to the public.

32. Michael

    Why does each state have two senators? Equal representation for small states. Or the Great Compromise. Small states did not want to disappear next to big states.

33. Ana

    Two senators. Equal for every state.

34. Michael

    They also ask you to name your U.S. representative.

35. Ana

    That's mine too. The person from my district.

36. Michael

    Yes. You have to name your representative. We will not say a name. If you live in a territory, you may name your delegate, or say you have no voting representative in Congress.

37. Ana

    And the Speaker of the House now?

38. Michael

    That name changes. You have to know the current Speaker. We are not putting a name in this episode, because it can change. Learn the current name before your interview.

39. Ana

    Current Speaker. I have to know it. Got it.

40. Michael

    Who does a senator represent? Citizens of their state. People of their state. The whole state, not one neighborhood.

41. Ana

    Senator represents the state.

42. Michael

    Who elects senators? Citizens from their state.

43. Ana

    We vote for them.

44. Michael

    A House member represents citizens in their congressional district. Not the whole state. Their district.

45. Ana

    House equals district. Senate equals state.

46. Michael

    Who elects House members? Citizens from their district.

47. Ana

    Why do some states have more representatives?

48. Michael

    Population. They have more people. Not because the state is older. Not because the land is bigger. More people, more House seats.

49. Ana

    More people, more representatives.

50. Michael

    Memory trick: Senate is equal. House follows population.

51. Ana

    Walk the picture. No question numbers.

52. Michael

    Three branches: Congress, the president, and the courts. The president runs the executive branch. Congress writes laws. Congress is the Senate and the House. One hundred senators, two per state, six-year terms. Four hundred thirty-five voting House members, two-year terms, so they stay closer to public opinion. Each state has two senators for equal representation. A senator represents the people of the state. A House member represents a district. Some states have more House seats because they have more people. Your senators, your representative, and the current Speaker are answers you have to know for yourself.

53. Ana

    Senate equals state. House equals district.

54. Michael

    Remember the key answers. Practice saying them out loud. Next episode: the president, the courts, and the states. Official questions are at uscis.gov. This podcast is independent study. We are not affiliated with U.S. C.I.S. I'm Michael.

55. Ana

    I'm Ana. Thanks for listening.

56. Michael

    We'll see you next time.

Questions in this episode

Official USCIS answers for questions 16 to 35 of the 2025 civics test.

• 16.Name the three branches of government.
• 17.The President of the United States is in charge of which branch of government?
• 18.What part of the federal government writes laws?
• 19.What are the two parts of the U.S. Congress?
• 20.Name one power of the U.S. Congress.
• 21.How many U.S. senators are there?
• 22.How long is a term for a U.S. senator?
• 23.Who is one of your state's U.S. senators now?
• 24.How many voting members are in the House of Representatives?
• 25.How long is a term for a member of the House of Representatives?
• 26.Why do U.S. representatives serve shorter terms than U.S. senators?
• 27.How many senators does each state have?
• 28.Why does each state have two senators?
• 29.Name your U.S. representative.
• 30.What is the name of the Speaker of the House of Representatives now?
• 31.Who does a U.S. senator represent?
• 32.Who elects U.S. senators?
• 33.Who does a member of the House of Representatives represent?
• 34.Who elects members of the House of Representatives?
• 35.Some states have more representatives than other states. Why?